The Paraguayan passed a medical with the Eastlands outfit and
has now signed a deal to link up once more with Mark Hughes, his former manager
at Blackburn.

Hughes has never made any secret of his desire to have Santa Cruz at City - as he brought the Paraguay international to Rovers for just £3.8m from Bayern Munich two years ago - and
having assured themselves the knee injury that kept the South American out at
the end of last season has fully cleared up, the Blues have completed the
signing of the striker.

The 27-year-old enjoyed a tremendous first season in England but struggled for form and fitness following Hughes' move from Blackburn to Manchester in June 2008.

Monday's medical was passed despite Santa Cruz's troublesome knees. He has had three knee operations during his career; most recently in April, which ruled him out for the last three months of the 2008-09 Premier League season.

Santa Cruz is City's second signing, following the £12m capture of Gareth Barry from Aston Villa, in a summer in which they are in the hunt for "four to six players" to "set the tone very clearly" for the club's pursuit of silverware, according to chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak.